Homeland security chief: “no current indication to suggest that the attack was part of a larger plot”

US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testifies before the House Appropriations Committee Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the FY2014 budget request for the Homeland Security Department on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 11 April 2013. President Obama's 2014 budget , which has been critisized by Republicans and Democrats alike, aims to change Medicare and Social Security and also includes tax increases that apply to the wealthy and corporations. EPA/SHAWN THEW

WASHINGTON _ Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Wednesday said the twin bombings in Boston that killed three and injured more than 170 others on Monday do not appear to be tied to a wider plot.

“...There is no current indication to suggest that the attack was part of a larger plot,” she told the Senate Homeland Security Committee in previously scheduled testimony on her agency’s budget.

Napolitano, who began her testimony with a moment of silence, also expressed her sympathies for the victims and their families and vowed her department would work overtime to try to prevent further such attacks in the United States.

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“Our thoughts and our prayers remain with the victims and their families and the city of Boston,” Napolitano added.

She said she could not share further details about the unfolding investigation in public.

Senator Tom Carper of Delaware, the chairman of the Senate panel, also thanked the police, paramedics, average citizens and other first responders who were so critical to the rescue effort.

“I also want to thank our first responders and brave bystanders who selflessly rushed into the chaotic scene to care for those who were injured, and the law enforcement personnel at the federal, state and local level who continue to investigate this incident,” said the Delaware Democrat.

He vowed to stay on top of the government’s response and find the culprits.

“I am carefully monitoring this situation and will continue to do so,” Carper said. “In the end, we’ll get to the bottom of this incident and bring those responsible to justice.

He also urged all American citizens to be vigilant while going about their daily lives.

“Moving forward, it is critical that all Americans recognize that we all have a shared responsibility in keeping each other safe and we should all embrace the adage, ‘if you see something, say something,’ and report anything suspicious to authorities immediately.”

Across the Capitol on Wednesday, Secretary of State John F. Kerry, a former senator from Massachusetts, declined to speculate on whether the attacks were foreign-based in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

But he did give a shout out to his hometown—and spoke of his personal connection to the tragedy.

“It’s impossible for me to express my sadness and my anger, frankly, over those terrible events,” Kerry said. “It’s just hard to believe that a Patriot’s Day holiday, which is normally such a time of festivities, turned into a bloody mayhem. But I know how resilient Bostonians are, and I think a lot of you do, despite the fact it took us 86 years to win a pennant.

“I’ve talked this week with friends and family up there as recently as this morning,” he continued, “and the granddaughter of a very, very close supporter and friend of mine through all my political career is fighting to keep both of her legs. The – Boston is not going to be intimidated by this, but we’re going to find out who did this. And the police work being done is extraordinary. The FBI is remarkable. There’s a great deal of forensic evidence, and we’re hopeful that we can bring people to justice.”